


Carpenter Christmas

by ceitean



Category: Dresden Files - Jim Butcher
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-20
Updated: 2010-12-20
Packaged: 2017-10-13 22:03:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/142183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ceitean/pseuds/ceitean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A small fluff piece about Christmas at the Carpenters. Set post-SmF.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Carpenter Christmas

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jax (hippydeath)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hippydeath/gifts).



***

In the Carpenter household, the holidays are a time for family. A time for humbleness, and for being thankful for what you have.

And if there was one thing Charity was thankful for this season, it was that at least _one_ of her children wasn’t a complete disaster in the kitchen.

“I think the sweet potato is almost done,” Matthew said. He stirred the pot and frowned in thought as he took a taste of the food. “Do you want me to call everyone in?”

Charity gave a grunt as she pulled the oversized ham out of the oven. It smelled delicious. She settled it on the already overcrowded countertop with a sigh. “No, not yet. We need to carve this first. Did I ever show you how to cut ham?”

“Uh, no.”

“Well, then. Hand me the electric knife.”

Charity showed him how the knife worked, then watched as her second oldest son got used to the cutting tool, giving him direction, but letting him do the work. It was surprisingly difficult to stand back and let Matthew figure out things on his own. She worried that he would hurt himself. She worried that he would hurt the _ham_.

But Matthew just focused on his task, biting his lip in concentration. He took Charity’s suggestions easily, slowly growing more confident with each pass. Even Charity started to relax. Though Matthew was still a teenager, he was still far more adept in the kitchen than any of her other children. At his age Molly couldn’t even boil water correctly, no matter how many times Charity had tried to show her how. It had been years since Molly and Charity tried to cook together. Molly never even went in the kitchen anymore when Charity was cooking.

“That’s very good,” Charity said. Matthew beamed up at her. Not very far up, though - very soon he’d be taller than her, just like Daniel. “Now, get the rolls in the oven. I’ll start calling everyone in.”

***

Amanda and Hope were upstairs, playing with some of their dolls. Hope was zipping around the room, making jet noises as her Barbie flew through the air. Amanda was sitting on the floor, wearing her bright green tights and electric pink jumper, with a reindeer headband on her head. Sometimes Charity despaired of the fashion choices of her daughters. She only prayed that it would be a few more years until Amanda started asking to dye her hair fuchsia.

“Mama!” Hope barreled into Charity’s legs. “Air Force Barbie is about to break the sound - the sound -”

“The sound barrier?” Charity asked.

“The sound barrier! She’s faster than anyone in the world!” Barbie made a loop-de-loop, ending in a victorious pose on Charity’s hip.

“That’s very exciting. Do you think Barbie would be able to help with setting up the dining room table? It’s a very important task, and I think Barbie is just the girl for the job.”

Hope shared a look with Barbie, and whispered a bit. She nodded. “Barbie will do it! Faster than anyone!”

Hope took off for the hallway, leaving Charity to call out, “No running in the house, young lady! Be careful!” She heard Hope’s foot steps slow slightly as she bounced down the stairs. “Would you help her, Amanda?”

“Okay, Mama.” Amanda kneeled up from the floor, putting away the toys Hope had left scattered around the room. “Mama, is Bill coming over this Christmas?”

Charity kept a smile on her face. “Not this year, no.”

It wasn’t unheard of for Dresden to stop by Charity’s home around the holidays, even if he never stayed for long. This year, though, he wasn’t coming at all. He was very polite about it, and had called Michael to wish the family a Merry Christmas earlier in the day, saying that he had made plans with some other friends.

Molly didn’t think he had other plans. She thought he was making an effort to stay away because he felt guilty that creatures had attacked Charity’s family just last November to get at him. Again. She said he still blamed himself for what happened to Michael, who was still recovering from his near fatal injuries.

Harry Dresden had no intention of stopping by the house this Christmas Eve.

“Do you know where Alicia and your brothers are?”

“Alicia’s playing with Harry outside. Daniel’s in the den with Dad. Are we going to have chocolate pudding?”

***

As Amanda and Hope set up the napkins and utensils, Charity put on her coat and stepped out into the backyard.

There was still plenty of snow on the ground, though Matthew and Daniel had shoveled pathways in the snow leading to the tool shed and the tree house. It was starting to get dark, the temperature dropping even further as Charity wrapped her coat more tightly around her. Perhaps she should have brought a scarf.

It didn’t take long to find her children. Alicia and Harry were standing near the tree house, facing a target board nailed to the trunk of the tree. They were both holding snowballs. Charity raised her eyebrows at how far away they were - Alicia could hit the board without effort, but it was surely too far for little Harry.

Alicia said something in a low voice to Harry, moving her body into a pitcher’s stance. Harry mimicked her, his arm drawing back as far as his puffy jacket would allow.

 _It’s too far_ , Charity thought.

Harry threw his snowball.

And it hit the target.

Alicia gave a big, uncharacteristic whoop. She picked Harry up and whirled the boy around until they both collapsed laughing onto the snow. Charity blinked at the snow still stuck to the target, then broke into a grin.

“Mama!” Harry yelled as he caught sight of her. “Did you see, did you see? I hit it!”

“I saw,” said Charity. She grinned at her children and helped them out of the snow.

Alicia’s glasses were fogged up from laughing so hard, but she didn’t seem to mind. “We worked on that all day, didn’t we, Harry?” Harry nodded emphatically.

“I think an achievement like that deserves a reward. Hurry and brush off that snow, now, dinner’s almost ready for you.”

“Food!” Harry cheered. He ran for the door, the snow only marginally slowing him down. Alicia ran after him.

Charity smiled and turned back to the house, taking her time walking though the snow.

***

She stepped up to the back door, but stopped in surprise before she went in.

Molly was in the kitchen. Charity blinked. It was a sight Charity hadn't seen in a while.

“Lucky kid,” she was saying. “Mom would never have left me alone with Christmas dinner. Not in a million years.” There was a small smile on her face that somehow didn’t look very happy. Charity hovered at the door, strangely hesitant to go inside.

“Maybe that’s because I never blew up three toasters in a row,” Matthew said with a grin.

Molly flushed. “That wasn’t my fault!” Which was only partly true - Molly’s magic had only grown stronger in the past few years, to the great detriment of every electronic device in the house. Dresden had warned Charity and Michael that it would happen, and that it would get worse before it got better as Molly learned more control.

He laughed and said, “Do you want to help with the rest of this? I could use another stirring hand.”

“No, thanks,” Molly waved her hand. Charity frowned at this lack of willingness to help, but Molly continued speaking. “I’d rather not get yelled at for stirring the gravy at the inappropriate rhythm and then have to listen to, *oh, for goodness’ *sake* I’ll just do it.*”

Matthew moved one pot off the burner to let it cool down. “She’s gotten a lot better, you know,” he said.

Molly snorted. “I’ll take your word for it.” She didn't sound particularly upset - it was more like an amused resignation.

“Hey.” Daniel poked his head in the kitchen. “Isn’t the food ready yet?”

Charity gave her head a little shake, then stepped into the kitchen. It was time to finish the massive project that was Christmas dinner in the Carpenter household.

***

Full bellies tended to lead to very sleepy children.

Alicia helped Charity put the little ones to to bed with promises of gifts from Santa Claus in the morning. Matthew crashed after a full day’s work, while Daniel and Michael went back to the den to talk about whatever it was they were talking about.

Charity was back in her kitchen, doing some last minute cleaning by herself. She liked getting some time alone - it was a rare occurrence in her household. She had a while before she had to drag out the presents to put under the tree. With a sigh, Charity settled down in a nearby stool and ate a few leftover cookies. She figured she could have a bit of a break before she had to get back to work.

A sound came from the living room. She lifted her head and frowned. It wouldn’t be the first time one of the children decided to take a peek downstairs on Christmas night.

Charity grumbled. She heaved herself up right and made her way to the living room, ready to scold and shoo a too curious child back to sleep. But for the second time that day, Charity was brought up short.

Molly was sitting in the middle of the floor with little Harry on her lap. They were staring at the Christmas tree.

The _lit_ Christmas tree, Charity realized, startled.

Christmas lights were fickle things on the best of days, but with an apprentice wizard in the house it near impossible to keep a strand from blowing out. Instead, the tree was covered in tinsel and garlands, it's branches weighed down with home made ornaments.

But now there were little lights dancing around the tree, some no larger than a scattering of silver glitter. The colors of the lights changed as Charity watched them bounce around in gentle patterns. Harry looked absolutely enchanted and there was a small, content smile playing around Molly's mouth.

She must have made some sort of sound, because Molly tensed and twisted to look at her. The magic Christmas lights ( _Molly's magic_ , Charity thought) glittered off her daughter's green and red streaked hair. Harry gave a yelp when he saw his mother standing over them.

"Oh," Molly said. She made to get up. "I'm sorry, it's not anything big, I'll take it down - "

"No," Charity interrupted as Molly made a hand gesture to the tree, as if to wipe the lights away. "No, it's alright. It's beautiful."

"What?" Molly looked a little stunned.

Charity was a bit surprised at herself. She wasn't in the habit of calling anything magic _beautiful_. But it was.

She moved forward and settled down next to her children. She ran her fingers through Harry's hair until he cuddled up on her side. Molly still looked cautious, but she sat with them.

"Are you making them move like that?" Charity asked.

Molly nodded. "It's just a little thing." She hesitated, then said, "Harry didn't remember what a tree with lights looked like. I thought I could show him, since I'm the reason we don't have them anymore."

"They're pretty," Harry said. His eyelids were fighting to stay open.

"That they are." Charity tilted her head in the dark as she gazed at the tree. "It's missing something, though."

Molly looked blank for a moment.

Charity gestured to the top of the tree.

"Oh," she said. Then, with a hesitant glance at Charity, Molly brought up her hands. She shaped the air, like Alicia had taught Harry how to shape a snowball. In her hands a silver light began to glow. Molly gently let the light go and it floated to the top of the tree where it shown like a star.

The three of them sat in silence for a time. Eventually, Charity looked down to see that little Harry had fallen fast asleep.

He was getting so big. All of her children were growing so fast, becoming more than she ever imagined could be possible. They changed every day and some nights Charity feared that she would never be able to catch up.

But then, Charity supposed that _she_ was still changing, too.

"I set aside some dinner earlier. What do you say we visit Mr Dresden tomorrow and drop it off with a few presents?" There were three already wrapped in the closet with Harry Dresden's name on them.

"I think he'd like that."

There was a rustle, and then Molly leaned on Charity's other side, her head resting on Charity's shoulder. Charity wrapped her arm around her daughter.

Holidays for the Carpenters are a time for family. A time for humbleness and for being thankful for what you have.

Charity closed her eyes with a smile.

 

~Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!~


End file.
